chinaSMACK translated a post giving a firsthand account of violence by Siyang City’s urban management (城管) officials:
On October 31st, at 4pm in the afternoon, a group of “city management” arrived at the scene, and began indiscriminately pulling all the carts [of the stalls] onto their own trucks. On the scene, those who fled, fled. Those who chased, chased. Those who looked on, looked on. It was a scene of chaos. At this time, a woman holding her baby carelessly said, “Enforcing the law like this, and you still tell everyone you enforce the law in a civilised manner?” Who knew this one sentence of truth would actually provoke the countless “city management” officials’ fists and kicks towards her? There were two “city management” members, who utterly ignored the baby in the middle-aged woman’s arms, and aimed their fists at her who was unarmed. That middle-aged woman instinctively risked her life to protect the baby with her hands. She probably did not imagine she would be subjected to the “city management’s” multiple fists without violating any of the “city management’s” rules. And she, being a full-blooded child of North Jiangsu, facing numerous “city management”, unexpectedly and fearlessly did everything she could to defend herself, and she even fought back when there was the opportunity. However, with a baby in her arms, hopelessly outnumbered, she gradually retreated. At this moment, she shouted loudly, “Are you all lawless?” One of the city managers yelled, “I am the law! I can handle things however I want!” So much arroganc and complete disregard of the establishment of rule of law and harmonious society2. Bystanders said in unison: City management are a pack of mad dogs.
